The series stars Steven Van Zandt, who is best known for his role as Silvio Dante in The Sopranos, and will air in the US on streaming service Netflix.

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The BBC's head of programme acquisitions Sue Deeks described Lilyhammer as "fresh, funny and offbeat", while BBC Four's controller Richard Klein said: "Lilyhammer mixes sharp wit and American big city ways with the beauty of the Norwegian mountains and folksy nature of a small town - a perfect combination for a razor-sharp drama about cultural mores."

The news comes after the success of several Scandinavian series on BBC Four, including The Killing, Wallander and Borgen, which concluded its first series on Saturday night.